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Signs of Approaching Judgment

In the sun, and moon, and stars

Author: Reginald Heber
Published in 66 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. In the sun, and moon, and stars,
Signs and wonders have appeared;
Earth has groan'd with bloody wars,
And the hearts of men have fear'd.

2. Soon shall ocean's hoary deep,
Tossed with stronger tempests, rise;
Darker storms the mountains sweep,
Fiercer lightnings rend the skies.

3. Dread alarms shall shake the proud,
Pale amazement, restless fear;
And amid the thunder cloud
Shall the Judge of men appear.

4. But, tho' from his awful face,
Heav'n shall fade, and earth shall fly,
Fear not ye, his chosen race,
Your redemption draweth nigh.

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #939

Author: Reginald Heber

Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today. -- Greg Scheer, 1995… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: In the sun, and moon, and stars
Title: Signs of Approaching Judgment
Author: Reginald Heber
Meter: 7.7.7.7
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

In the sun and moon and stars. Bp. R. Heber. [Advent.] Appeared in the Christian Observer, Oct. 1811, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed "2nd Sunday in Advent—Luke xxi." It was repeated with some changes in the text in Heber's posthumous Hymns, &c, 1827, p. 9. This text is that usually followed in the hymnbooks in Great Britain and America.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #9799
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #9799

Include 65 pre-1979 instances
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